Wigan landmarks celebrated with unique photographic mural

• Community project brings together photographers and artists to celebrate Wigan
• Photographic-style mural displays history, heritage, buildings and places of town
• Avanti West Coast welcomes latest art installation at Wigan North Western station

A photographic mural has been unveiled at Wigan North Western station as part of a community project celebrating the history and heritage of the town.  

Titled ‘Wonders of Wigan’, the large-scale artwork created by South East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership (CRP) consists of archive and modern images of local landmarks.

The mural is a series of ‘then and now’ style images produced using black and white style designs – aimed at showcasing Wigan buildings of past and present.

Landmarks including Haigh Hall, The Old Courts, and Wigan Pier were nominated by the local community to feature on the mural. The town’s two railway stations (Wigan North Western and Wigan Wallgate), as well as a former station, Wigan Central, are also present - in a nod to 2025 being the 200^th anniversary of the railway in the UK.

South East Lancashire CRP worked with former photographer for Wigan Newspapers, Frank Orrell, local photography students and artists to collect as well as commission images that celebrated the buildings.

Each of the 25 sites that appear in the artwork are accompanied by text available via a QR code that tells its story and the role it played or continues to play in the town.

Avanti West Coast, who manage Wigan North Western station, supported the installation through its Community Rail Project Fund – a scheme that helps CRPs local to its route deliver initiatives that engage communities with their railway. 

Located in the approach to the station underpass, the art piece displays the history, heritage, buildings and places of Wigan and aims to provide a permanent feature that acts as a welcoming gateway for those travelling to or from the town by rail.

It follows the installation of a vibrant A-to-Z mural design that gives a vibrant introduction to Wiganese, which was created by a local artist and South East Lancashire CRP back in 2021.

Leonie Purvis, Avanti West Coast Station Manager at Wigan North Western, said: “This new mural is a great addition to the station. It offers another point of interest in the local area and brings a different insight into the town and its heritage. 

“We’re pleased to have played a part in joining local people to celebrate Wigan in this unique way, as it is a place we’re proud to serve. Sharing the stories behind key landmarks, such as the station is also pertinent, as this year marks the 200^th anniversary of the UK’s railways. We hope those who call it home, as well as those who are visiting for work or leisure discover something new about this great town.” 

Senior Community Rail Officer at South East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership, Dr Steph Dermott, who coordinated the organisation of the project, said: “It’s been great to be able to produce another mural that celebrates Wigan, this time through its iconic buildings of past and present. We have really enjoyed engaging with the local community and working with local photographers to ensure that the content was again created by the public, so that it will hopefully be as well received as the existing ‘Wiganese’ mural. It has also been good to research and highlight the history of some of the railway stations in Wigan, as part of this year’s Railway 200 celebrations!”

For more information about the Wonders of Wigan mural, visit: Wonders of Wigan

ENDS